The Southern Tour

Reviews / Votes

Elegant and evocative. * History Today * Chatwin's book takes you into the world of one of the most epic and consequential ideological battles of the late 20th century. On the other side of it emerged the China of today - but it might not have been that way, and many worry that Deng's vision for Asia's giant could yet be reversed. * Stephen McDonell, BBC China Correspondent * Jonathan Chatwin gives us the first in-depth account of one of the defining moments of China's 20th century: Deng Xiaoping's 1992 tour of southern China that kick-started economic reforms and paved the way for China's rise. Drawing on extensive reporting, documents, and with a flair for scenes, colourful anecdotes, and dialogue, The Southern Tour brings to life the most dynamic period of China's era of reform and opening up-a period that has now sadly vanished. * Ian Johnson, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Sparks: China's Underground Historians and Their Battle for the Future. * An insightful look back at China's reform era ushered in by former leader Deng Xiaoping -- one that also serves as a poignant reminder of how Chinese life has changed under the current leader Xi Jinping. * Lingling Wei, Chief China Correspondent, The Wall Street Journal * Told with verve insight and clarity, this fascinating book tells the momentous story of Deng Xiaoping's Southern Tour. Jonathan Chatwin adds his own journey in Deng's footsteps by boat, bus, train taxi and on foot, from Guangzhou and Shenzhen up to Pudong, to trace a timeline of China's modernisation. This is a compelling account of a thrilling period when the momentous changes being planned and executed by China's leaders still hung in the balance: indeed one could say that under President Xi, Deng's legacy is still contested today . -- Michael Wood, historian, broadcaster and author, The Story of China